


An Unexpected Valentine

by SophieRipley



Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: F/M, Interspecies Romance, One Shot, Valentine's Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-09
Updated: 2017-02-09
Packaged: 2018-09-23 02:00:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,694
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9635930
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SophieRipley/pseuds/SophieRipley
Summary: Judy Hopps returns to Bunny Burrow on Valentine's Day Weekend to convince an unsuspecting fox to be her Valentine.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SallyWhite92](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SallyWhite92/gifts).



Judy stepped off the Bunny Burrow train, overnight bag in paw, and sighed.  It had been almost a year since she’d been back home, and she had mixed feelings about being back.  On one paw, she’d be seeing her parents and siblings again, which would be nice.  But on the other paw, she didn’t come here to see _them_ , so she felt a little guilty.

She put it out of mind though as her parents grabbed her in a tight two-front hug.

“I’m glad you’re back home,” said Bonnie, pulling away.  “How long will you be here?”

“Just over the weekend,” said Judy, gently disengaging from her dad.  “I wanted to stay longer but I couldn’t get the days off.”

“Why come back _now_ , though?” asked Stu.  “It’s Valentine’s Day tomorrow.  We thought you’d be spending it with Nick.”

Judy snorted.  “ _Nick_?  Oh please.”  She started walking toward the parking lot as she spoke.  “Nick’s a great guy, he’s attractive, he’s sweet.  But he’s not my type.”

“Not your type?” exclaimed Bonnie.  “How could he not—“

“ _And_ ,” interrupted Judy, “even if he was, he’s taken anyway.  I’ve met his girlfriend, she’s really nice.  She made me a carrot cake once because Nick told her I was having a bad week.”

“So then…”  Bonnie opened the door of the truck for her and Judy climbed in.  Bonnie got in beside her, while Stu started the vehicle.  “Sweetie, you’re almost twenty-seven.  You need to find someone and settle down, have some kits.  Or adopt some!  We don’t mind adopted grandkits.”

Judy groaned.  “Mom, for cripes sake.  You have dozens of grandkiks.”

“And none of them are yours,” said Stu.  “Anyway, the grandkits are secondary.  We’re more concerned about you.”

“I’ve always been alone, Dad.  I like my solitude.”  Judy grinned despite herself; she was enjoying messing with her parents way too much to hide.

“That doesn’t mean you don’t deserve love, sweetpea.”  Bonnie put a paw on Judy’s knee and looked at her like Judy was severely injured.

Judy tried and failed to suppress a laugh.  “Okay, okay.  Look, that’s why I came back home this weekend instead of next weekend.  I have someone in mind, and I wanted to see him tomorrow.”

“Oh,” said Stu simply.

“Well…who is it?” asked Bonnie.  Judy simply smiled.

 

* * *

 

The next afternoon, Judy borrowed a vehicle from her dad and drove into town.  She had never been to the semi-new pastry shop in town but it wasn’t hard to find, sitting right in the middle of downtown Bunny Burrow on Main Street.  The bell over the door tinkled merrily as she entered, and she found the shop mostly deserted.  The signs were there, however, indicating it had been packed just a few hours prior.

“Just a minute,” called the friendly voice from the back, “I’ll be right with ya.”

The voice had once driven spikes of terror into Judy’s chest.  His rough cadence and “country” diction became synonymous with pain and humiliation long ago.  But that was indeed a long time ago, and Judy had grown up a lot since then.

So had Gideon Grey.

The last time she’d seen him in person she still had that old terror clutching her, and it took all the strength in her little body to approach him at the side of the road at her parents’ produce stand.  Even with depression numbing her, it had been hard.  Since then, since accepting his unexpected—but very much appreciated—apology, he’d reached out to her on social media.  Over the last couple years they’d corresponded; at first it had been occasional and awkward, but eventually a rapport developed.  They’d become friends.

Gideon came jogging out from the back room, pulling on a pair of food service gloves.  He smiled when he looked up, and leaned on the counter, ears pricked forward.

“Judy Hopps.  I wasn’t expectin’ to see you ‘round here today of all days.  What brings you back home?”

Judy smiled back and mirrored his casual lean.  “Oh, you know.  I had to come home to find a boyfriend.”

Gideon raised an eyebrow.  “There aren’t any bunnies in the big city?”

Judy scoffed.  “Bunnies?  Pft.  Rabbits are a dime a dozen, and none of them have what I’m looking for.  I did think of someone around here I’m interested in, though, if he’ll have me.”

The fox shrugged.  “He’d be dumb not to.  Is that why you came in?  Lookin’ for something sweet to give him?”

Judy’s smile was a healthy blend of sweet and mischievous.  “In a manner of speaking.  I thought I’d ask your opinion; have you had lunch yet?”

He shook his head.  “Nah, I was about to take lunch when you came in.  Pick somethin’ out while I lock up and we can talk.”  He came around the display counter, went over to the door, and locked it, flipping the sign over to “Closed”.  Then he came back and pulled out a couple pastries Judy couldn’t name but which looked delicious nonetheless.

“What’ll ya have?”

Judy shook her head.  “I’m not hungry, thanks.”

Gideon shrugged.  “Suit yourself.”  He gestured to a table, and Judy went over to it and sat.

Gideon sat across from her, setting his food and a bottle of juice down.  “So,” said Gideon, speaking before taking a bite, “tell me about this guy you like.  Anyone I know?”

“Well, he’s a fox.”  Judy folded her arms casually on the table.

Gideon swallowed heavily, and looked a little uncomfortable.  “Oh.  Well, uh…yeah, I probably know him, then.  There are very few of us out here.  I mean shoot, I only know of what…four families in all of Bunny Burrow?  Most of them are decent enough, but I don’t know that any of them are really good enough for you.”

Judy narrowed her eyes.  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Gideon rolled his own eyes.  “C’mon, Jude.  You’re a big city cop.  A minor celebrity, at that.  You’re a great person.  You deserve someone strong and smart an’ good like you are.  Like what’s-his-name, Nick Wilde.  Your partner.”

Judy flung her arms out in exasperation.  “For cripes sake, why does _everyone_ think I’m dating Nick Wilde?!”

Gideon stared at her flatly for a moment.  “Judes, you spend every day with him.”

“He’s my best friend, Gid.”

“Yeah, and you like him.”

“As a _friend_.  Cheese and crackers, I’m tired of explaining this to people.”

Gideon looked utterly mystified.  “Well, what in the world is wrong with him?”

“He’s _smug_ ,” cried Judy.  “He’s insufferably _smug_.  All the _time_.  _And_ he’s a know-it-all.  And I love him for it, I do.  But if I had to live with that fox I’d murder him by the end of the first month.”

Gideon took another large bite of whatever fruit-filled confection he’d chosen, chewed it thoughtfully while Judy spoke, and when she finished he took a quick drink.

“Well, he’s better than any foxes _here._   Better than me, that’s for sure.  But my opinion isn’t important.”

Judy tilted her head to one side.  “Better than you?  What’s wrong with you?”

Gideon scratched the back of his head uncomfortably.  “I dunno Jude, there’s a lot I could say.  I was a bully, I have mental problems, I’m fat…take your pick.”

Judy shook her head, then pointed a finger at him.  “No.”

“…no?”  Gideon raised an eyebrow.

“No.”  Judy sighed.  “You know what makes you so great?  You had a really _screwed up_ childhood.  And you lashed out.  A lot.  But then you figured out you were better than that and you got help.  And since then you’ve been kind and sweet and loving to all your friends.  You stand up for people.  Yeah, you’ve got ‘mental problems’, but so do I.  We all do, to some extent, but you take great care to be mindful of those issues.”

He shrugged.  “Maybe, but I’m still fat.”

“More to love.  Some women like big guys.”

“I’m always uncertain.  Socially awkward.”

Judy scoffed.  “So?  Who wants a busybody?  Or worse, someone who’s arrogant?”

Gideon fiddled with his bottle cap.  “I’m not very smart.”

Judy rolled her eyes.  Then she pointed at the confection he was almost done eating.  “What’s that?”

The fox, poor thing, looked confused by the sudden change in topic.  “It’s a Berliner,” he more asked than stated.  “Sorta like a doughnut.  This one has a mixed-fruit jam filling.”

“How do you make them?”

“It—well, you…”  He floundered a little, then shrugged.  “It’s kinda involved?  I could show you.”

“See, I didn’t even know what they were called.  I just saw a bun with sugar on it and some jelly inside.”

“That’s not surprising.”  He shrugged again.  “Most people don’t really know the finer details of most of the pastries I sell.  There’s nothing wrong with it.”

“My point,” chuckled Judy, “is that _you_ know it.  You’re the best pastry chef in the Triburrows, and I’ve heard a pretty high-end restaurant in Zootopia has asked you to relocate and work for them.  When it comes to sweets, you’re brilliant.”

Gideon cleared his throat self-consciously.  “Well, maybe.  But you didn’t want to talk about me in the first place, you wanted to talk about the guy you like.  You never did say who it was.”

Judy gazed at him for a long moment with a combination of amusement and incredulity.  “You haven’t figured that out yet?”

“Not…really?”  He shifted in his seat.  “Should I have?  I can’t really think of anybody you’d want around here.”

“Oh, sweetie.”  Judy smiled sweetly, and reached over to take one of his paws.  “You’re so cute.  I was coming here for _you_ , Gid.”

He gaped at her for a moment.  “B-b-but I’m just—“

“No,” said Judy firmly, pointing at him again.  “You will not deride yourself.  What you _will_ do is answer my question.”

Gideon blinked at Judy.  “Uh…okay.  What question?”

“Very simple,” said Judy with a smile.  “Will you be my valentine?”

His smile was uncertain, but it was also bright and sweet.  “Yeah,” he said softly, “I-I’d be honored.”

_Things change_ , thought the fox to himself.  _Sometimes…sometimes for the good_.

**Author's Note:**

> First let me answer the primary question I'm sure some of you have: No, I do not ship them. This is very likely a one-time thing.
> 
> Second, I'm sure you're wondering "why sophie...where did THIS come from?" Well, a friend of mine does ship them and she's one of the only people in the fandom writing fics about them. I thought I'd type out a quick little one shot for her for Valentine's Day. It's early, but that's okay. Sally, I'm sorry it's not long and I wish it was better. But here you go :)


End file.
